A man is in custody after stealing an unoccupied ambulance from Prince George's Hospital Center Friday morning and leading police on a pursuit, authorities said.

Prince George's Police Chief Hank Stawinski says William Person, 43, has a long criminal history with guns, robbery and assault.

A family member who provided a photo says he is a troubled, violent man.

Overnight police found him on the streets, suffering from an apparent injury and acting erratically. He was taken to the hospital for treatment and had been released shortly before he stole the ambulance.

ABC7's Suzanne Kennedy reports from the scene that the ambulance was spotted on northbound Route 210 around 6:30 a.m. near Farmington Road in Accokeek, Maryland.

Stop sticks were used to puncture his tires, but the 43-year-old continued to flee until officers were able to stop him around 7:15 a.m. at the 6300 block of Allentown Road by boxing him in from all sides.

Sources on the scene tell us K9's helped catch him after he fled from the ambulance.

When the dust settled the quarter-million-dollar ambulance sat on its rims battered and bruised and Person was brought right back to the hospital in a different ambulance this time as a passenger.

Officials say charges are pending until a mental evaluation is completed.

Prince George's County Police were assisted by Maryland State Police and the Charles County Sheriff's Office with the help of a helicopter.